RE: All Tech Writers (was real tech writers? Out-of-Work Tech W riters

["Ed Manley" <edmanley -at- bellsouth -dot- net>]

Exactamento, Connie - you certainly exemplify what I have been saying.

I don't know how I became perceived as crying woe-is-me, as in fact I am a
daily cheerleader for tech writers and have always been very enthusiastic
about the state and future of my chosen profession. As I mentioned earlier,
I am a tech writer because I saw a need and found that I like the work
enough do what it takes to make myself an "expert" in the field.

You are right about us being central to the entire development process. I
have often, in fact more often than not, been the one person who saw all
aspects of the development project.

The problem is that we do not do a very good job of communicating that macro
view to others. The documents we currently use are obsolete and inadequate,
even if done "perfectly".

To become what we writers want to be in the perception of others we must
develop new ways to disseminate our product. That, perhaps even more than
each tech writer's dedication to the task, is the key to becoming valued.

Please join us in the thread entitled "Out of work tech writers - Unite!",
where we are beginning to investigate ways to publish knowledge in more
usable manner.

Have fun,
Ed




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